Mitek Corp History

From the simple beginnings of building speakers from a rural garage to becoming one of the Nation’s largest U.S. manufacturers of high performance car, home, professional and commercial audio products; MiTek Corporation has maintained the vision, leadership, and dedication of Founder and CEO Loyd Ivey.

Ivey began his company in 1971, aptly named Ivey Electronics, and after a merger with American Case Company in 1974 American Acoustic Labs, or AAL, was born. Soon thereafter MiTek Corporation was founded as the umbrella company to a vast assortment of diverse and innovative audio companies. To this day Ivey remains the visionary leader and driving force behind the MiTek family of companies.

1979 ushered in the MiTek acquisition Matrecs, a manufacturer of mobile audio products which became known as MTX Audio in 1983. As the founding company under the MiTek umbrella, MTX Audio offers the broadest selection of consumer products in the MiTek family. With a sharp focus on the marketplace and ever-changing industry needs, MTX delivers classic, high performance car, home, and professional audio products geared toward audio enthusiasts of all ages and listening preferences. Since its creation, MTX has been the innovator of some of the now standard audio ideas, including inventing the first mobile audio enclosure in 1984.

Ivey continued to expand MiTek in 1983 through development and acquisitions including Magnum, creator of the first-ever vented/sealed hybrid enclosures, allowing the customer to choose how their music should sound.

Fueled by the growth of the car audio industry, Ivey expanded his manufacturing ability and in 1989 established MTX in Phoenix, Arizona, the epicenter of car audio technology and manufacturing.

Acquired in 1990, Oaktron- located in Monroe, WI- provides custom and mil spec speaker systems and components. The acquisition of Oaktron, as stated by Ivey, "was a natural extension of the MiTek business, since Oaktron had been manufacturing the coolest speakers since 1950."

In 1996, MiTek acquired Xtant, an innovative manufacturer of mobile audio products for serious audiophiles with discriminating taste. Its highly evolved mobile audio products and technologies showcase unique performance features in sophisticated packages.

1999 welcomed many additions to the MiTek Family. First, Coustic, a value brand of dynamic mobile audio products for all consumers, manufactures cool and exciting car audio products for people on the move. Next, DCM Loudspeakers, legendary manufacturer of timeless audiophile residential speakers, extending MiTek’s reach into the home audio loudspeaker systems.

Then the acquisition of Atlas Sound which led the path for MiTek to branch out into the commercial audio world. Atlas Sound products can be heard all around the world from the music played while you enjoy a cup of coffee at Starbucks, to the mega sound enjoyed through the 9000 speakers at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas, NV. Atlas Sound product offerings reach beyond speakers and complementary components; if you’ve ever seen a microphone stand, then you’ve seen an Atlas product.

In 2001, MiTek added two audio and component wiring companies, StreetWires and Esoteric Audio USA, to provide premium installation and connection components. StreetWires is our mobile wiring and installation accessories company that makes connecting your system as easy as it should be. As the originator of vehicle-specific wiring products, StreetWires has been in more IASCA-winning cars than all other wire and cable brands combined. Esoteric Audio USA is the innovator of nearly every high-end cable component used today, Esoteric Audio USA still stands for performance wiring for your home installations. As the inventor of heavy-duty gold-plated banana plugs, spade lugs and speaker pins, and the first company to use oxygen-free copper in interconnects and speaker cable, Esoteric Audio USA has a long standing tradition of advancement.

In recent years the expansion of brands under the MiTek umbrella includes:

SWX Connexions- A new line of accessories to the MiTek family of car audio brands, offering amp kits and RCA cable in lengths ranging from 1 foot to 25 foot. SWX features eye-catching packaging as well as stylish satin nickel finish.

Musica- Is a manufacturer of noteworthy home audio designed to provide an experience that’s extra special without the extra price. In-ceiling and in-wall products under the Musica brand are designed with state-of-the-art materials to make it easy to add a breath-taking musical experience to every room.

Soundolier- Is the leading inventor and manufacturer of cutting-edge, premium-quality wireless audio products for the consumer market. Utilizing advanced wireless technologies, Soundolier designs audio and lighting solutions to match contemporary style and comfortable living.

Bass Slammer- MiTek’s current lineup of successful unloaded mobile enclosures with an edgy new image. Vehicle-specific molded and carpeted enclosures, universal carpeted enclosures, universal prefabricated boxes, and vented/sealed hybrid enclosures are all included in the Bass Slammer catalog. Factory color matched, molded vehicle specific enclosures are available as well, offering a stealthy installation solution for those who are interested in maintaining the stock appearance of their vehicle.

Through product development, expansion, and acquisition, MiTek has firmly established itself as the leading privately held US manufacturer of car, home, and commercial audio products. MiTek leads the audio industry in Engineering, Manufacturing, and Quality in our compliance with the most stringent manufacturing guidelines.

MiTek facilities are certified under ISO 9001 quality assurance standards. Our quality is so important to us, that we have passed our bi-annual ISO audit every year consistently since 1994. Our products are manufactured in over 1,000,000 square feet of dedicated manufacturing facilities, in four states and two countries, by state-of-the-art equipment; which include CNC multi-purpose routers, Surface Mount Machines, Rotational Molding Machines, and Robotic Assembly.

MiTek Corporation has multiple product research and development teams featuring anechoic test chambers, Sterolithography modeling capabilities and a wide assortment of advanced design and test equipment assuring that MiTek products lead the industry in both technical innovation and quality.